“In 1739 arriv’d among us from England the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, who had made himself remarkable there as an itinerant preacher…The Multitudes of all Sects and Denominations that attended his Sermons were enormous, and it was matter of Speculation to me who was one of the Number, to observe the extraordinary Influence of his Oratory on his Hearers, and how much they admir’d & respected him, notwithstanding his common Abuse of them, by assuring them they were naturally half Beasts and half Devils. It was wonderful to see the Change soon made in the Manners of our Inhabitants; from being thoughtless or indifferent about Religion, it seem’d as if all the World were growing Religious.” —Benjamin Franklin on George Whitefield, 1771 Which of the following was the most direct effect of the trend described in the excerpt? A) The increase in rigid class, race, and gender divisions as a result of the religious fervor B) The rise of accusations and executions for witchcraft by ardent Christians C) The formation of new churches as many congregations split between New Lights (pro-Awakening) AND Old Lights (anti-Awakening) D) The decrease in the number of colonial colleges because of revivalists’ de-emphasis on education